Duke is a serious Final Four contender
We just may have kept the Duke Foot Injury from ending our season for the third straight year
Miami is really backing into the tournament phase
So much for those little Tools and their VAUNTED twelve-guard lineup, at least until next Saturday
Still not going to miss Maryland, College Park at all
Just enjoying the ride
I have some gripe or other but will hold it for now

I heard Duke played a pretty good second half yesterday. I say "heard" because around 6 PM a line of thunderstorms was spotted slouching towards Lexington and Channel Two decided to spend the next 4 freaking hours telling our good and noble citizens to come inside and not to drive through standing water. What these folks were doing watching TV outside in the rain and/or while driving I'll never know.

So thanks to Bob Harris and crew for a rousing return to the days of yesteryear, aka the ACC Game of the Week.

Posted by: steve

Date: 3/29/2010 3:11:11 PM

IMHO this season ranks as one of K's best jobs, right alongside the 1984, 1994, 2001 & 2005 seasons. For a team with this many glaring weaknesses to be this good, and to have accomplished this much, is truly impressive.

It's been especially cool to watch Z and Lance, two kids who've been much-maligned throughout their careers, emerge as key players. We would not have won yesterday without Lance in particular.

Good show all around!

Posted by: Stephen Frazier

Date: 3/29/2010 2:37:27 PM

Like blueflame said...the word that comes to mind is resilient...and that can't be measured in the box score. These guys are tough minded young men.

Like Matt said (and others)...this team has accomplished more this season than I thought they could given the level of talent. But talent isn't always everything.

LT and Zoubs are playing really good basketball. LT is a pest to any opposing offense and Zoubs is guarding the rim like he owns it!! I loved the foul he committed when, I believe it was Acy, had an open lane to the rim.

Also, like others have said, K has done a helluva job.

Keep it up boys!!

GO DUKE!!

Posted by: Dave Clark

Date: 3/29/2010 9:57:06 AM

The ragegasm over the late T on Baylor is so ridiculous that even some anti-Duke partisans are calling bull. A couple of seconds before Scheyer called the TO, friend and I were both discussing the Duke/WVU matchup. The game was *that* over. And yet, Twitter was in flames over it minutes after the game. Silly.

Posted by: David MacMillan

Date: 3/28/2010 11:53:16 PM

So, so sweet! I drove around in a stupor after the Barnes Skype Nov. 13, wondering how it was possible for UNC to keep getting all the breaks while we got none. This team has turned everything around--from results on the court to public perception of the program--and that is mighty impressive. (And, as an incredible bonus, UNC did the exact opposite.) This is unlike any other Duke team I can remember.

Some of my friends and I have theorized that, one of these seasons, K would win a national title "under the radar." This would be slight karmic payback for the titles we should have won but didn't. Here's hoping this is the one!

Posted by: duhomme

Date: 3/28/2010 11:38:03 PM

josh,

"Baylor should have been T'd up several times for hanging on the rim after dunks and wasn't."

i've wondered all year, and especially in this game, if that rule had been repealed. and, in the interest of full disclosure, duke players have done some chin-ups on the rims a number of times as well. is this the goofy ncaa trend where the "points of emphasis" is code for "the only rules we will enforce?"

Posted by: SanFranSoxFan

Date: 3/28/2010 11:35:08 PM

We are clearly at the you never know stage of the season ("Don't let us win this next game! Don't let us! We win it, and you never know what's gonna happen!").

Getting to the FF is huge, and deserves praise, basking, and thanks. Later comments will be more preparatory, as befitting events about to unfold.

So, Thank you Matt and duhomme for the incredible analysis this season, and particularly during the tournament. How anyone with your pick %'s can still be so astute is what brings so many of us (12? 14 now?) back, and back some more.

And a special thanks to duhomme for: "This team doesn’t assume it will win, it expects to. There is a very important distinction between the two." Other posters have commented on this statement as well - it's that good. To me, it defines this team, this season. Ask me what I'll remember from the '10 Season, and it'll be duhomme's quote, and of course, the new signature line in my personal emails (which garners a ton of understanding feedback given how ethereal you'd assume it to be).

Finally, at least for tonight, thanks to all you posters on this site, whose comments I have truly enjoyed throughout the season. Would love to share a refreshing beverage with you all this evening in celebration, and will think of it as I raise a glass to this team, it's Coach, and his staff.

Well done, all.-dan e"That game at Charleston College didn't turn out like you planned."

Posted by: Josh

Date: 3/28/2010 10:48:23 PM

Anyone that complains about the refs (yeah, that's you Stuart Scott) should be reminded that Baylor should have been T'd up several times for hanging on the rim after dunks and wasn't.

Posted by: blueflame

Date: 3/28/2010 10:45:40 PM

Resilient... is the word that comes to mind. This team just finds a way to win. And all that hype about the "easy" bracket bullsh_ _! Duke just willed themselves through two very tough, physical teams in Purdue & Baylor. I confess, at the start of the season I didn't see a Final Four in the future for this team. Heck, I figured 6 losses for the regular ACC season. The emergence of Zoub, the maturing of the Plumlees, & Lance doing all the little things has made this team a very tough out. I'm thinking that K's guys beating a Huggins Huge-Face team is a real possibility. Go Devils, let's finish this thing!!

Posted by: Fats "Lazer" Durston

Date: 3/28/2010 10:37:15 PM

Sorry for breaking the last page.

When Lance took something like 4 of the first 6 shots...um...and then putback dunk!

FWIW: Week 1 polls:AP/CoachesMSU 2/2WVU 8/9Duke 9/8Butler 11/10

And of course, for posterity:UNC 6/4

Posted by: CDG

Date: 3/28/2010 10:31:20 PM

I have to agree with Matt (and KD) - this has been quite a coaching job for K this year. January this year had all the hallmarks of years' past but look where we are? Yes, the kids made it happen but K has also coached his guts out, probably because he loves these kids as much as us.

I'm with Josh -- all the way? Why not?! There is no cakewalk to get there but these kids just keep finding a way to win.

duhomme, I shared your annoyance with the Baylor kids too and went ballistic when Acy went after Nolan. (Quick side bar to say Kellogg, you're an idiot. He kept saying that Acy "bumped" Scheyer even when it was clear as day he bumped Nolan. Maybe that's why his observations are always so wrong - he clearly can't see!)

Even though I thought it was an undisciplined move, while they were sorting it out, I started to hope that the refs wouldn't call a T because I knew it would only give haters the ammo they need to say it was why we won (forgetting of course we were up by 8 at that point). Haven't checked the various boards or sites yet for confirmation (since I need something fun to do while I should be working tomorrow!) but I definitely wouldn't bet against there being at least one article.

Anyway, my point was that I also wasn't too impressed but during the handshakes at the end, the kids from Baylor showed respect and it made me think it was about the game more than these kids. Hats off to them too - they played a monster game and did have our number for a good while.

On to Saturday. I am so, so happy!

Posted by: Serious G

Date: 3/28/2010 10:17:17 PM

Great point, vine. WVU is really tough, but the Devils have shown on many occasions that they can play a very physical game.

My friends & I were at the East regionals this weekend. We watched the Duke/Purdue game at a pub in Liverpool (north of Cuse); it was great seeing the anti-Devils contingent silenced.

Great, great run so far. Keep it going lads!

Posted by: the naked vine

Date: 3/28/2010 10:07:05 PM

"Now, ya see...Kentucky shouldn'ta be PLAYIN' West Virginia. They'se was supposed to be a One Seed."

Ah, the wailing of the Boomhauer-on-meth fanbase is such sweet music.

After screaming at the TV all night about why the hell Lance Thomas is still in the game...I guess I'll finally have to admit that K knows something I don't. (Actually, he did a pretty damned nice defensive job if you ignore his frightening offensive forays.)

I did keep wishing that K would let Singler flash to the foul line once or twice, but we stubbornly hung with it, and it worked.

I really like that people still think we can't win grinders. I guarantee you that will be the meme of the week. "West Virginia will slow Duke down and make them play defense in the half court. Duke can't win slow, physical games." Yes, please.

Posted by: KD

Date: 3/28/2010 9:43:59 PM

YESSSSSSSS!! Way to go Duke! What a great run and I am here to admit that I could not have been any more wrong about the prospects of the boys making it to Indy. Baylor looked like the same kind of team that showed us the door these past 4 or 5 very frustrating years. However, Jon and Nolan were just too good today - thanks Nolan for heeding my pleas to take a game over. And pretty timely for Jon to explode back onto the scene. If you had told me Kyle wouldn't have a field goal and a handful of free throws only and we still win, I would have laughed out loud. I admit that I had a few unkind words for Lance given his uncanny ability to always get stripped or packed every time he goes up with the ball, but boy, did he sit me in my place with the nice "dunk" follow of Kyle's missed three to convert a 3-point play and put the game out of reach. Brilliant, Lance. Thanks to Z for his intensity and a couple of key buckets and YES TO ANDRE's awesome threes. More, more more. Agree with Hill that K needs to find a way to get him more involed. I do have to agree with Matt that K really has done a tremendous job with this group.

Going back to the Final 4 show sure feels good. Thanks guys and here's to a great season.

Posted by: Josh

Date: 3/28/2010 9:43:37 PM

Umm...yeah...so...I may have been a weensy bit frustrated at halftime, as anyone who read the game comments can see. But for now, let me just say WOOOOOOOOOOO!! K commented on ESPN Radio that in the first half, Duke was trying to beat Baylor's zone as opposed to playing their game, but that they did a much better job of that in the second half. I'd have to agree.

Nolan's 3 off the missed FT and Scheyer's 3 on the next possession will be talked about as the turning point, and rightly so, but where I started to feel better was a couple minutes before that. Duke was down three, Scheyer missed a 3 from the wing, we got the rebound and he drilled one from the top of the key to tie it up. As the ball was coming out to him, I told my dad, "He's gonna make this one." Maybe it's just because it's March 28, but I flashed back to Hurley doing almost the exact same thing against UK (oh, by the way: bahahahahahahahaha) in the '92 regional final and I started to feel really good.

What an awesome win for these guys. To go from a first round loss as freshmen to this is outstanding. And, um...is there any reason we can't win this whole thing? Yeah, didn't think so. :)

Way to go, Duke!!

Posted by: John Spiller

Date: 3/28/2010 9:22:13 PM

Brief report from Houston.

Walking up to the gate into Shillname Stadium Next to the Astrodome, look to my left, and who do I see? Shane Battier with wife and kid. Good omen.

I had seats at mid-court, 40 rows back. Baylor fans predominated, but there was a surprising number of Duke fans. I would guess that the Duke partisan count actually exceeded the number of Duke alumni who live in Houston. Lot of Redick jerseys.

It was unreal to watch our guys cut down the nets live. Great to see C-Well and Nate getting their first post-graduate twine. Got to shake hands with Mr. Scheyer. Thanked him for his genes. He laughed.

Posted by: duhomme

Date: 3/28/2010 9:15:34 PM

tom, that's good to hear, as i found myself starting to really dislike many of the baylor players as early as midway through the first half. maybe it was just their game faces.

at any rate, once again duke showed no panic. lance and treebeard continue to be the "backspace" button on duke's shooting. and did andre dawkins really nail two outside shots in his first ncaa tournament while playing in a freaking football stadium?

Posted by: tom

Date: 3/28/2010 8:29:35 PM

Great job guys. Again, players stepping up. Congrats. It was getting chippy there especially in the second half. I did watch the post game presser and the three Baylor players (I know Tweety was one but not sure about the others) where respectfull and gracious. There was no complaining about calls made or players. I think a lot has to do with the heat of the game alone where things can really get to you. Especially in a game with this much meaning to it. Way to go guys!

Posted by: Steve!!

Date: 3/28/2010 8:19:48 PM

This is amazing.

I'm in the same boat as Matt. Last year, I thought Duke could challenge for a title this season, but after Henderson went pro and Williams transferred, I didn't think the Blue Devils had enough. But incredibly solid defense and team play has them back in the Final Four after far too long of an abscence.